


with a hungry mouth

by afterism



Category: Goblin Market - Christina Rossetti
Genre: Extra Trick, F/F, Possibly zombies, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 04:39:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5116022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afterism/pseuds/afterism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The daisies never grow in that place where Jeanie lies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	with a hungry mouth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Selden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selden/gifts).



The daisies never grow in that place where Jeanie lies. The earth is undisturbed, not a worm to be seen, but the flowers Laura brings every week are always gone when she returns with a fresh bunch in hand, and a smile across her mouth. That perfect rectangle of bare earth as constant as a stone in a field, waiting for the plough.

Lizzie stays at home, of course, tending the chickens and the cows, kneading the bread and airing the house. She makes their bed, pulling the curtains back and fluffing the pillows, smoothing out the sheets and hiding sweet pouches of lavender under it all for sweet dreams. She lies awake far too often, these days, Laura pressed along her side. She counts Laura's breaths in the darkness like a metronome of life, a promise that she's still here, she truly hasn't died. 

There's a restlessness in Laura's mouth when they kiss and kiss in sweetness, a taste of sugar-fruit behind her tongue. Laura keeps her busy when Lizzie tries to chase it; presses her mouth to her collarbone, between her breasts, across her navel; makes use of her restless tongue and spreads the sweetness lower.

Laura says she's fine, of course, when Lizzie presses her to talk. She smiles full of teeth and eats as often as she needs, no longer wasting away as her appetite seems to grow and grow; their pantry filled and emptied of sausages and shanks and red, red meat, Laura sucking the juices off her fingers one by one.

"Jeanie says hello," Laura says, one day when she returns, a smile across her mouth and fresh flowers no longer in her hand.

"Don't be cruel," Lizzie says, as she sits and sews. She looks up when Laura says nothing; and she's not there any more when she does, just muddy footprints leading away.

Lizzie pretends she doesn't hear the goblins' cry when they fetch the water in the evening. She pretends and pretends, and doesn't notice the song change, doesn't see that the platters are no longer covered in fruit.

In the night they rest cheek to cheek, breathless from kissing but Lizzie's skin smarts, just a little. There's dirt under Laura's nails and bite marks on Lizzie's thighs, a roughness she's never known from her sweet, sweet sister.

("I'm hungry," Laura teased, and kissed her sweetness harder.)

"I'll be back soon," Laura says, a week later and fresh flowers in her hand.

"Wait, I'll come with you," Lizzie says, and abandons the dough on the kitchen table, wipes her hands on her apron and pulls on her boots. Laura smiles, bright and full of teeth.

They walk across the fields to the place where Jeanie lies, arm in arm and two golden heads together. Laura splits the flowers in two so they both have something to leave, even as Lizzie protests, but the air is sweet and the evening is warm. She relents, consents to anything, for her sister.

Lizzie can see the bare patch of earth as they near it. No daises grow, no grass touches it, no worms have left their trail across it. The flowers Laura left last week are gone, and Laura strides on unfaltering as Lizzie is tugged along, staring at the strange shadows that dip into the earth as though a large stone has been moved.


End file.
